Annette jabbed a finger in Jamie’s direction. “Your hired help just slapped me!” She spun around, her hands on her hips as she glared at Alex. “I demand she be thrown out!”
Mark stepped forward and snorted loudly. "Your ex-lover just tried to slap Jamie for some reason. She came after Ms. Connors, who simply defended herself." Mark moved up beside Jamie and put an arm around her shoulders. "I'm pretty sure it’s this woman who needs to be removed from the building."
"Have you lost your fucking mind?" Annette moved to get up into Jamie's face, but Alex stepped in the way.
"You need to go. Our business is long over, and I'm not interested in your funds or anything else. I'm going to dig into the scandal you forced into my personal life last year. I think that might shut you down pretty fast, and if the threat alone doesn't, my finding out what you were up to will." He took a step toward her, his shoulders square, his voice impossibly deep.
"Alex. It's me. Really?" Annette's tone changed completely. All sweet butter and icing.
Jamie flinched at the sound of it, but was glad to see that Alex wasn't putting up with any of it.
"Good for you. Now get the hell out, and if you threaten Jamie again, I'll bring a lawsuit against you and your whole family so fast it'll make your head spin. You’re toxic, Annette. Get out of my face, out of my office, and out of my life."
She huffed loudly and turned. "Fine, but you'll regret this. I'm the best fucking thing that ever happened to you. Just because you found a fixer-upper and made her what you want her to be doesn't mean she's perfect. It means she's a pliable dummy."
"Get out!" Alex moved toward her as the door to the elevator shut.
Jamie's eyes filled with tears as Alex turned, his hands clenched into fists. "How in the world did this woman get in the building? Gina? Where’s Gina? She needs to contact security downstairs and have the little lying sack of shit escorted out and then banned from re-entering." He glanced at Jamie and his angry features instantly softened. “Jamie, baby, please don’t cry.”
Mark released her as she moved toward Alex and slid into his arms. She let out a soft sob as he wrapped her up tightly and kissed the side of her face. “I’m sorry. I know I shouldn’t be upset. It’s all crazy. She’s crazy. But… but…”
"You're my beautiful girl, and I didn't make you that way. I believed in you, just like I always will. You know that, right?"
She pulled back and nodded. "I'm not crying because of her words, but because of yours. You were brilliant."
He grinned and leaned down to kiss her. "I am, but it's because of you. I didn't change you, Jamie. You changed me, and I love you for it. Every day you make me want to be better."
Chapter 14
After things calmed down, Mark went out and picked up lunch and brought it up to Alex’s office, where the three of them ate in a slightly muted silence. Alex spent most of lunch behind his computer and jotting things down that he needed Jamie to take care of. Mark sat staring out the window, either caught in the view or lost in thought somewhere.
Before long, Alex’s next appointment arrived. No one was out in the foyer to greet him and when he popped his head into Alex’s office, everyone scrambled to clean up and get organized. At least the older gentleman accepted a slice of pizza and sat down happily to munch on it.
Paul met Mark and Jamie in the hallway. “Where’s Gina?” he asked.
“No idea. Maybe she took a long, late lunch.” Jamie shrugged. “How about we head into my office to review the final analysis for the tax and audit packets? Then it’s done and sorted.”
They headed down, and, shortly after, Gina returned and stepped into Jamie’s office to drop off the revised letter Alex had asked her to bring to Jamie. She barely said anything, and hurried back out of the room.
Jamie happened to pass Gina on the way to the copy room and couldn't help confronting her. After the Annette incident, she was tired of all the bullshit. "So, are you going to keep ignoring me, or tell me what the hell's going on?" Jamie pressed her hands to the desk between them, and tried to keep her expression neutral.
"Nothing. Lots, I guess." Gina let out a long sigh. "I don't know. I've been here forever, and it feels like home, but I want so much more for my life than to be someone's secretary while he climbs higher."
"Have you talked to Alex about that? He has other positions in the company, Gina. He cares about you."
"Does he?" Her eyebrow lifted sharply.
"Yes. I know he does." Jamie moved back a little. "Talk to him. Okay?"
"Yeah. I will. I'm sorry." She turned away, and Jamie took that as her cue to leave.
After making a few copies of their tax documents, Jamie went back her to office and sat down between the guys.
Paul glanced up and shook his head. "I know we closed this down, but Jamie, something isn't right with this. There's a charge on the main dining account from that odd ID that we discovered a while back, for over a hundred dollars to La Grigila. It's on the same day that we went. Do you think the restaurant billed you twice, except on Alex’s other account? Does he keep his accounts on file there?"
“No. I paid with my business credit card.” She picked up the report and studied it. "This isn't our charge. We spent around sixty dollars, and I know I put that on my card.”
"Then whose is this? Did Alex take someone that same day?" Mark leaned back in his seat, his brows furrowed. "Or is this Gina's charge?"